Coffee
by Butterfly Harvester
Summary: William just wanted one cup of coffee.  How hard is it to get that?


_Title: Quest for Coffee_

_Summary: William just wanted one cup of coffee. How hard is it to get that?_

_Notes: I wanted to write something in Kuroshitsuji land and while I have been playing with some longer fic ideas, I wanted something shorter. So I wind up with William wanting coffee. Don't ask, the ideas come up in the strangest of ways._

William T. Spears found himself drawn to the small break room in the Shinigami dispatch like a moth to flame. He had a very rough night with far too much overtime and far too little sleep. All he needed was one little kick to get him going, and that kick was going to come in the form of coffee.

The only other person in the room was Ronald Knox, who seemed to have a similar idea. He leaned against the counter, his eyes shut as he enjoyed a strong cup of coffee. When he heard William enter the room he opened one eye slowly. Then he winced. William would want coffee, of course. He could think of no other reason for him to be in the break room.

As William headed to the coffee pot, Ronald tried to inch slowly towards the door, fearing his boss's wrath before it even appeared.

William frowned at the coffee pot. It was completely empty. There was not even enough for half a cup. With a heavy sigh he began to rummage through the cabinets. Nothing but cream and sugar. No coffee.

Spotting some movement in the corner of his eye, William turned. His eyes narrowed as he noticed Ronald sheepishly trying to get to the door. He had made it halfway across the room before William caught him.

"I'm sorry senpai," Ronald began, "if I had known it was the last cup, and that you really wanted some, I would have saved it for you. Honest!"

William scowled as he adjusted his glasses. "Then shouldn't you get some more?"

Ronald gulped audibly. "I suppose I should, since I'm the last person to get coffee and all, but I have souls to collect."

"Yes, I suppose you do," William said. He shut his eyes and began to massage the bridge of his nose. "Where's Sutcliffe? He'll do anything I ask."

"Working," Ronald answered. Quietly, he added, "At least I _hope _he is."

"Then I suppose I'll get some," William muttered. He could have sent anyone he wanted to get coffee, but he knew _he _would not goof off. It would not take him too long to get some, then he could come back and get to work.

He left in a hurry, the idea of even more overtime that night the cause of his rush. Ronald sighed with relief as he watched William leave, glad that William was not as mad at him as he expected him to be.

If he had any idea how irritating William's quest for coffee would become, Ronald would have ran and most likely hid.

The shops closest to the dispatch were all out of coffee. One of the shop owners, a large, impatient woman, told him no, she was sick of telling people she had no coffee and that he needed to leave if that was all he wanted. She claimed to have more important things to do.

William scowled to himself as he walked further into London. He did not even bother to check the time. It was overtime yet again for him, of that he was sure.

Every single shop told him there was no coffee left. He stopped outside the sixth shop he had entered and asked, more to himself than to anyone else, "Is there a coffee shortage I haven't heard of?"

"Yes, sir," a young redheaded girl of thirteen or fourteen said. "My papa says the ships aren't coming."

William stared at her for a moment or two before she added, "He runs this shop. He keeps having to send people away, and he doesn't like doing that."

William thanked her and started to leave. Before he was out of earshot she shouted one last hint of advice to him, "If anything I imagine the nobles still have some coffee. You could try asking some of them!"

William only nodded his head. Before he leaped on the roof of the shop, he made sure no one was watching him. That girl was right, of course. If anyone was to have _anything _that happened to be in short supply, it would be a noble. But if anyone was unlikely to share their precious commodity, it would be a noble.

Reapers were fast and stealthy. He could _"borrow" _some coffee. That, however, was against his own morals. Someone like Grell Sutcliff, he would do it, but not William.

Then he thought of Ciel Phantomhive and his butler. That certain butler would have anything his young master requested. William shuddered. He would not ask a _demon _for anything!

Now obviously facing more overtime, and with no coffee to help him along, William headed back to the dispatch. Once he returned, he peered into the break room as he passed. Ronald was still there and not out doing his job. William stopped to yell at the young reaper when Ronald waved him inside.

"William, look what I found!" Ronald announced upon as William joined him. In his hand he held a can of coffee. "It was in the very back," he added.

Before William enjoyed that wonderful first cup of coffee, he took the time to beat Ronald over the head several times with his ledger.


End file.
